The Aston Martin DB5 has long been considered one of the world’s most seminal sports cars, owing to its 282-horsepower race-developed aluminum alloy engine, advanced chassis, and distinctive lightweight sports saloon coachwork built with Touring’s Superleggera construction technique.

Further popularized by its association with the James Bond film franchise, the DB5 was the ultimate combination of beauty, brains, and brawn, a car that was no doubt specifically developed for the sporting British gentleman.

Aston Martin ultimately built 899 saloon examples, but only 193 of these cars were configured in left-hand-drive, making them considerably rarer than their RHD siblings.

During 1964, Aston Martin began offering an improved version of the standard 4.0-liter engine, which in the David Brown-era tradition of such motors was dubbed the Vantage.

These engines retained the same displacement as the standard DB5 motor but utilized a revised camshaft profile and triple Weber carburetors to ...